FS 201 Descriptions (Spring 2017)

FS 201 courses complete the required FS sequence and also count for elective credit in the department offering the course. Because FS 201 forms a bridge between the first-year FS courses and the Junior Seminar, students are expected to take FS 201 in the sophomore year. Some majors and minors require an FS 201 course in that specific program; in these cases, the same FS 201 course may be used to satisfy both the FS requirement and the major/minor requirement.

FSBIO 201 Communication in a Discipline – Biology
Investigative Approaches in Biology. Taught by various Biology faculty.

An investigative laboratory course that emphasizes experimental design, modern experimental techniques and instrumentation, analysis and interpretation of data, and written and oral presentation. The course consists of three multi-week project modules designed to illustrate investigative approaches at different levels of biological organization—molecular/cellular, organismal/physiology, and population/ecosystem. There is an emphasis on independent and cooperative laboratory/field work, and on writing and speaking in the sciences. One two-hour recitation/discussion and three-hour lab period per week. Prerequisite: BIO 220. This course is required for Biology majors and minors.

FSCHE 201 Communication in a Discipline – Chemistry
Research Methods in Chemistry. Professor Van Horn.

An introduction to writing, speaking, and research methods in the discipline of chemistry. Topics include experimental design, statistical analysis of data, ethical conduct of research and selected classical, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods of analysis. Analytical techniques are discussed in the context of laboratory projects that are designed, performed, and interpreted by the class. Taught in the fall semester. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in CHEM 122 or CHEM 112.

FSCOM 201 Communication in a Discipline – Communication Arts
Power & Production: Ethical Struggles Shaping Media Representations. Professor Branch

An exploration of the ethical considerations shaping media practices. We will utilize case studies and contemporary and historical texts as platforms to study and debate standard codes of practice. These texts include, but are not limited to, films, television shows, screenplays, and scripts. We will come to understand and reflect upon the ethical concerns within these fields through examination of legal, cultural and philosophical frameworks.

FSECON 201 Communication in a Discipline – Economics
Recessions, Jobs, and Government Policy. Professor Baskan

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of economics. Students examine the basics of government’s economic policies. Fiscal and monetary policies are studied and their effectiveness in cyclical stabilization and growth stimulation are discussed. In the latter half of the semester, connections among national debt, government deficit, economic growth, and employment are emphasized.

FSECON 201 Communication in a Discipline – Economics
Clash of Economic Ideas. Professor Bilo

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Economics. We study economic policies over the last hundred years in light of the corresponding debates among economists. Lectures and discussions examine events such as the Bolshevik Revolution, Great Depression, Second World War, German economic miracle, and recent sovereign debt crises through underlying clashes of economic ideas. These clashes, as exemplified by works of Lenin, Keynes, Hayek, Friedman, and Samuelson, have shaped our world. They are a reminder that economics as a discipline is often used by advocates of policies with far-reaching impacts. Prerequisite: Economics 101.

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FSENG 201 Communication in a Discipline – English
Stopping for Death in American Literature. Professor Crowley

FSENG 201 Communication in a Discipline – English
Writing Wrongs: Literary Representations of Injustice. Professor B. Slote

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of English. Students apply a variety of critical approaches to a small number of texts, develop research and interpretive skills, and present their work in oral and written forms. We examine stories, novels, and poems that portray injustice—private and public misdeeds unpunished by law or other meaningful censure—and consider the historical, moral, and interpretive demands that come with representing and reading about this experience.

FSENV 201 Communication in a Discipline – Environmental Science
Environmental Problem Analysis. Taught by various Environmental Science faculty.

An interdisciplinary analysis of modern controversial environmental issues. Students examine scientific, economic, cultural and political underpinnings of issues. Areas of study address environmental degradation, natural resource use and misuse, human-environmental interactions, and environmental justice. Written assignments and oral arguments and presentations are emphasized. Counts toward the major in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies. Prerequisite: Environmental Science 110.

FSGHS 201 Communication in a Discipline – Global Health Studies
Topics and Approaches in Global Health. Professor Darrouzet-Nardi.

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Global Health Studies. Students are introduced to the research methods and modes of communication used in the field of global health and use case studies to investigate different approaches to identifying, analyzing, and responding to global health issues. We read primary and secondary research, interpret data, evaluate tools for communicating effectively to different audiences, and explore various research methods. Ethical, cultural, and interdisciplinary dimensions of global health research and work are emphasized throughout. Prerequisite: GHS 130.

FSHIS 201 Communication in a Discipline – History
The American Dream. Professor Ribeiro

An introduction to research, writing, and speaking in the discipline of history. Students approach historical thinking by considering the notion of the American Dream. The course focuses on skills central to producing historical accounts as students explore ideas about changing societal values in the United States and representations of American diversity.

FSMAT 201 Communication in a Discipline – Math
Combinatorial Game Theory. Professor Barry

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Mathematics. Combinatorial game theory, which involves the analysis of two-person games with no hidden moves and no moves decided by chance, became a respectable area of mathematics due in large part to the work of John H. Conway. Its most important example is the game of Nim, because every game is equivalent to some Nim game. This seminar, which may be counted toward the completion of a major or minor in Mathematics, highlights how the software package LaTeX can aid effective written and oral communication in Mathematics. Prerequisite: Mathematics 160 with a grade of “C” or better, or permission of the instructor.

FSMLG 201 Communication in a Discipline – Modern Languages
Academic Communication in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Professor Lewis

An introduction to research and communication in the disciplines of Modern Languages. Through close work with a small number of texts and cultural topics, students engage with the norms and processes of research, including the development of appropriate topics; the location, evaluation, use, and citation of secondary sources; the incorporation of these sources into their own analyses; and the communication of these analyses in writing and speech as part of a scholarly conversation. While given in English, our study prepares language majors for research in the target language, including in the Junior/Senior Seminar and Senior Project. Prerequisites: Two language courses at Allegheny College or permission of the instructor.

FSPOL 201 Communication in a Discipline – Political Science
Political Institutions. Professor Callen

An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of political science. We consider how political institutions frame and shape political interactions, especially in the context of American politics. Our study is focused through the “new institutionalism” lens, with an emphasis on how the institutional rules shape individual behavior as well as interactions among groups of institutions. At the same time, students are introduced to the theories, methods, and language of contemporary political science research. Discussions revolve around understanding theoretical explanations and causal mechanisms and distinguishing various philosophical camps from one another.

FSPSY 201 Communication in a Discipline – Psychology
The Human Potential Movement. Professor Searle-White

An exploration of the evolution of the research and theory on a specific topic in psychology. Through an examination of relevant primary source materials, the course demonstrates how questions prompting research on a specific topic, as well as research methodologies, have evolved. Effective writing and speaking within the guidelines of the discipline are emphasized. The focus for this section is an examination of writings from psychologists in the psychodynamic and humanistic traditions who attempted to understand the vast potential of human beings for development and growth. Prerequisite: any course in Psychology. Psychology majors are encouraged to take their sophomore seminar in the Psychology Department. May count toward a major or minor in Psychology.